I have a brother who has paranoid schizophrenia and is developing dementia. Where do I go to get financial assistance to care for him?

Please do not use your own funds. Speak with the caseworker or doctor who works with your brother for a diagnosis. The person at the home isn't a doctor. This could be as simple as a UTI or as complex as needing medications adjusted. If he needs another level of care he may need to become a ward of the State and have a Guardian to assist in his placement. The family is not responsible to pay for him. This will be a medicaid problem. I am so sorry. My next door neighbor recently lost her schizophrenic brother at age 50. The last years were so tough with the mother, father, Sister and BIL trying to assist in his care, able to afford housing for him, checking on him weekly. In the last years he was on medication delivered by injection because he wouldn't take medications, preferred his 200 odd angels he spoke to. He began to self medicate and died of an overdose in all likelihood. Life is very tough in the USA with chronic mental illness. First of all, mental illness is anything but an exact science for treatment, medication cocktails, and diagnosis. Have you read the book Hidden Valley Road about the family in Utah with 6 sons who were diagnosed schizophrenic. One of the most interesting things about it was the way the disease has been threated throughout history. Diane Keaton has also written a fascinating book about her brother's schizophrenia.

He will need to apply for Medicaid. As Alva suggested, please speak to his caseworker, if he has one. If he doesn't have one, contact his county's Dept of Health and Human Services, or ask his current residence if they have someone you can contact.

Contact his county and ask about waiver programs for elderly and disabled. It will likely depend on his income but if he qualifies for Medical Assistance, he will likely qualify for home health aide.

"not be able to care for him if he is getting dementia".

Why not? What specific issues / behaviours are they having trouble with?

Will the level of future supervision they expect exceed their staffing levels?

He will greatly benefit from being in his regular home & having his regular routines.
Hopefully extra support services could be provided where he is for any increasing needs? So he could age in place for as long as possible?

As Alva mentioned, the staff who spoke to you is not a Doctor. A proper neuro exam would need to be done. I would imagine this is very hard to accurately assess too, as the starting point is not neuro-typical.

My sister has Sz. I have noticed memory issues but not the usual short term Alz type. More a labelling problem. Eg when storing information like a dentist appointment, the info may go in a bit wrong. So when retrieved, she didn't forget - just brought out incorrect info. But it looks like she forgets. I was told Sz effects thinking in a lot of ways (executive functioning) - which is why most need a supervised environment. I could not image she would pass any short memory test like mmse. A specialist test would be required.

I'm unsure what benefit a dx would do. But if a dx unlocks more care options & funding it could be very valuable to you.

I would say that with ur brothers mental issue that Dementia also makes the problem worse. Maybe he is showing signs of aggression and the staff is not equipped to care for someone that may become violent. His problem is so unpredictable. Does the Director have any suggestions? The only option I see is a LTC facility with Medicaid footing the bill. But then, not sure a facility would take on someone with this mental illness. You are not responsible for his care financially. I am pretty sure an AL or MC would take him on and both are private pay. All I can see would be a Psychiatric facility.